Watching Eyes
by Sailing South
Summary: Hel, the daughter of Loki has been brought to Midgard for an interrogation. But upon arrival, the unexpected happens as she starts to see visions and hear voices after an encounter with a mysterious stranger. Post-Avengers
1. Chapter 1

**Watching Eyes  
**

**Author's note: This is my third fanfiction (second for Avengers fanfics). Enjoy. Note: I own nothing but the plot.**

* * *

**1.**

"Are there any updates from the different realms?" Loki yawned as he sat around the council during a meeting. His eyes had dark circles under them. His hair was a mess. Loki's clothes were wrinkled. Being the king of Asgard was a difficult duty he bore.

"There hasn't been any report, my lord." Fandral said. "Heimdall has given no news." Loki smiled. He was relieved that there was no problem.

"Good. Good. Very good." Loki muttered. Asgard was becoming more glorious than before. It was peaceful. No wars were stirring in the different realms. Everything was under control in Loki's rule. Loki frowned.

"Is there a problem, sir?"

"You are lying." He said sternly. "Something is stirring. I sense it. Something powerful." Loki stood up and walked around the hall in a quick pace. "Impossible." He spoke to himself. "That can't be. I saw it. I saw it."

"Sir," Lady Sif said. "I think you should calm down."

Loki stood still. He took a deep breath. The god suddenly rolled his eyes. "Hel," he said. "I know you are hiding behind the curtains. Reveal yourself." Loki and the council stared at the golden brown curtains. Nobody came out. Annoyed, Loki walked towards the curtain. He moved it aside, revealing a young girl. Loki smiled and crossed his arms. "Hel, what did I say before I left you for the meeting?"

"You told me to stay inside my room, father." Hel said. Loki knelt before her and ruffled her pale blonde hair.

"Why are you here then?" Loki asked.

"I was curious." She replied as she held her wrist.

Loki laughed and hugged her. "As usual. I want you to return to your room. Stay inside."

"You always say that." Hel spat. "I rarely see the sun. I feel dead. You rarely show your face. Did you forget already?"

"Oh no, no, no, not at all. I always think about my family. You, your brothers, and your mother." Loki smiled and hugged his child. "Look, I'll tell you this. Father has a few things on his shoulders now and he does not want to be disturbed. And you know that today is a big day for you. SHIELD will be coming to take you to Midgard for a while. Now do not fret." Hel nodded. "Be good at Midgard, okay. And bring some hell to those mortal friends of my brother. But not too much. Then when you return, I promise you this. I will spend one whole day with you. We could go anywhere. Even across the different realms. I promise you that. One whole day of father-daughter bonding. I promise you that." Hel smiled and nodded. Loki kissed Hel's forehead. "Now, go." Hel smiled and ran back to her room.

"Thousands of years and look at her go." Fandral whispered on to Sif's ears. "She's just like her father, insane yet has heart. Yet she still doesn't know."

Sif nodded. "And she must never know. Are you alright, Loki?" She asked as she stared at the king.

"So fragile." Loki muttered. "So fragile and burdened with such strength and a horrid fate."

* * *

Hel looked out of the window of her room in the palace. She had one of the nicest views. Right below was the glorious city of Asgard. Shining in the light, the golden walls reflected the light. Hel could see the people walking through the winding roads. How small they were in this view. The music of Asgard filled her ears and soothed her. She fumbled her fingers as she looked out. Looking at her hands, she frowned. "So fragile." She muttered. "It's decaying faster." To keep her hopes high, she looked at the world once more. She stared at the Bifrost in a distance. "Someday." She muttered. "Someday, I will walk through the streets."

The door of her room opened. Looking behind, Hel found her stepmother, Sigyn walk inside the room and close the door shut. "Hello, Hel." She smiled. Hel smiled back. "Have you packed your things?" She asked. Hel frowned and smirked. "You haven't?" Hel nodded. "Start packing. They'll come in any moment." Sigyn handed Hel a luggage bag. The child looked at it oddly. "It is from Midgard."

Hel walked towards her closet and took some of her dresses. "But Sigyn, father said I must not leave the house." Hel complained as she packed her clothes into a Midgardian bag. "Why would SHIELD even want to interrogate me? I have no knowledge of this mischief father created." Hel sat on her bed and leaned on the posts. She faced Sigyn and crossed her arms. "Do you know, Sigyn?"

Sigyn sighed and sat by Hel's side. She fixed the braids on Hel's pale blonde hair. Pinning them at the back of her head, Hel fumbled her dark blue silk dress. She adjusted the golden belt wrapped around her waist. "Hel, darling, your father has been going through tough times these days. Yes, he caused deaths in Midgard. He even had to fake his own death just to be released of Thanos's control." Hel's eyes widened and she straightened her back. She never knew about that. No wonder why she was feeling a bit stronger in those days when her father was gone. "Somehow, he survived. And nobody knows how. Now, he is the king of Asgard ever since Odin vanished. He has a place to govern on. I miss him too. I rarely see him. You visited him once, did you not?" Hel nodded. "And what did he tell you?"

Hel furrowed her eyebrows as she tried to recall what happened. "Father, told me to be good as usual. He told me to study the spells. Told me to keep practicing. Then he said something about SHIELD. He told me that they'd come here and they'd take me to Midgard. He gave no explanation. But he told me to annoy them once in a while. Especially Uncle Thor." Hel smiled. "Do you know why?"

Sigyn shook her head. "I do not know, child. But for now, finish packing your things. They could come in any minute." Sigyn sat up and took her silver shawl. "I will leave you for a while, Hel. I'll just be in the market. I will return. Stay inside. Be good." Sigyn stepped outside and closed the door shut.

"Stay inside." Hel mocked. Stay inside. Words she heard now and then. Her father always told her that ever since the decaying of her body began. Asgardians have always feared monsters. And Hel was one of them. As Hel passed by the large mirror on the wall, she came to halt and looked at her face. She frowned. A fourth of her face was grey and decayed. Her father casted a spell to make it stop. He also casted spells just to conceal her face. But she never liked using that spell. It was too complex for a beginner. Hel touched the decayed part. It was rough and delicate. Even her left hand was rotten. Every time Hel stepped out of the four walls of her home, she had to conceal her face with a hood and her hand with a glove.

Somehow, Hel was thrilled to leave Asgard. She was curious about life in Midgard. She wanted to know how the world worked. Hel couldn't just rely on her father's stories and books. She wanted to feel, to see, and to hear how Midgard is like. Yet she feared. She feared their reactions. She feared herself. Freedom had limitations.

Hel finished packing her things. All she did now was read a book while playing with her spear Loki made for her. The spear had a silver body and a golden pointed tip. On the body were etched symbols: a vine and fire. At the end was a crown-like shape. She never understood why those were the symbols.

Then she heard a knock on the door. Hel stood up immediately and ran to get the door. She peered through the peephole and found Sigyn waiting outside again. Right behind her were five SHIELD agents. Slowly, she opened the door. She smiled at Sif and bowed curtly. "I am back." She said as she stepped aside to let them in. The SHIELD agents looked at her oddly and kept a distance. _They fear me. _She thought. _Typical. _"I heard that you and some SHIELD agents would be coming to accompany me to Midgard."

Sigyn nodded. "Well not exactly." She said. "I am to accompany you to the Bifrost, not all the way to Midgard. Our king, your father, fears that your temper might get out of hand." Hel chuckled. "It is not a laughing manner. You killed somebody before, right, Hel?" The child nodded. Sigyn came closer and whispered something into Hel's ear. "And besides, Loki has no trust with SHIELD. And sometimes, I too can't trust them." Her stepmother stood up straight and smiled. "Shall we go?" Hel nodded. And they were off.

The seven headed to the Bifrost riding horses. Hel's items were on a cart being pulled by her horse. Hel was wearing a green hood covering her face and body. Under the hood, she was wearing Midgardian clothes, a blue shirt, a brown skirt, and black closed shoes. Her spear was attached to her back. "So, Sigyn, what am I to expect once I arrive at Midgard?"

"You still do not like calling me 'mother'." Sigyn sighed. "They will bring you to Stark Tower. That is where you will be staying. That is all I know." She explained.

"Are there any rules?" Hel asked. "Well, besides the rule 'stay inside'."

"Well, don't do anything reckless. That is all."

Hel nodded. As they rode through the cobblestone streets of Asgard, some people would nod at her. Some would stare at her or try to follow where she was heading. The people of Asgard rarely saw Hel. She rarely pops out in the picture. Feasts and celebrations never had Hel in the event. She would always decline the invitation. And if she was there, she would stay in the corner or right by her father's side, a place where she felt safe. Hel rarely walked on the streets of Asgard. And she liked it that way. Not all the time. "Lady Sigyn," Hel said as she directed her horse through a large crowd of people. She rolled her lifeless eyes when she couldn't pass. "Sigyn, how many people know that my father still lives?"

"Not much. Besides the whole Asgard, only a few SHIELD agents and a few other realms know. Not even Thor and his Midgardian friends are aware." Sigyn explained. "Hel, now this is what you must keep. Tell nobody about Loki's survival. If they ask, do not speak of the truth. In Midgard, he is dead. Understand?" Hel nodded. "Good."

They stopped before the Bifrost. Hel stepped down of her horse along with the five SHIELD agents. She took her luggage and faced Sigyn. "Five agents to guard a single person." Hel said. "Am I that dangerous?"

Her stepmother smiled. "No. You will be fine. They are just worried that something bad might happen to you. Do you have all of your things? Books? Spells? Clothes? Spear?" Hel nodded. "Good luck, Hel. And don't be feisty."

"I shall try. Tell my father that I bid him farewell." Hel said. Sigyn returned to the city. Hel walked to the Bifrost and stood before it. "When you are ready, Heimdall."

In a few seconds, Hel was at Midgard. She was on top of a skyscraper. _StarkTower. _She thought. Looking down, she feared no heights. Yet the wind on her face blew her hood back, causing it to fly backwards, revealing her face. Panicking, Hel took her hood and placed it back on her head. She looked around. It was not like Asgard at all. There were buildings everywhere. There were no horses on sight. No cobblestone roads. No music. Just dull cars and grey buildings. "What kind of world is this?" Hel said.

"Earth." Hel jerked and spun around. Right before her were three people, two men and a girl. Two, a blond and a female whose hair was dyed red were wearing SHIELD uniforms. The other one, a man was clad in a plaid button up shirt under a jacket. _Hawkeye, the Black Widow, and Captain America, I guess. _Hel thought. _They look just like what father told me. _"Well to you, it's Midgard." The Captain walked towards Hel. He held out his hand. Hel, afraid and confused, extended her left arm for a moment and pulled it back. The Captain raised an eyebrow. "Don't shake hands in Asgard?" Hel scoffed and shook his hand using her right hand.

"I don't like shaking hands with my left." Hel explained. She followed the three towards the inside of the tower. Hel stood by Romanoff's side.

"You might want to remove the hood, Hel." Romanoff said. "It isn't winter."

"I like my hood. Is there a problem, Miss Romanoff?" Hel said as she raised her head. The Black Widow shook her head. "Good." Hel muttered.

Hel sat on the couch and looked at them. Her bags were by her side. Looking around, the three sat across her. "The others will be here in any moment now." Hawkeye said. "So, Hel, how is Asgard?"

Hel crossed her legs. "Why should you care, mortal?" She said. "Why am I here anyway?"

"Interrogation. Regarding the recent happenings in Manhattan. Regarding the invasion and your father's death." Romanoff said. Hel froze for a moment. _Don't tell them about his survival. Don't you dare, Hel. _She told herself. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Hel. I didn't know that you were still affected by his death. I'm sorry."

"It is fine." Hel said calmly. "My father was a great man." When she said that, Hawkeye snorted. Hel eyed him. "He was a great father. Perhaps, if he was still alive, he would be a great king. Ever since Thor didn't want the throne due to his love for Midgard and that woman." She smirked for a moment. "You are right. I should remove my cloak." Hel removed her cloak, revealing her decaying face. The three felt uneasy about it. Hel smiled. "You don't have people like this here?" They shook their heads. "So I'm the only one."

The elevator doors opened. Entered the other members of the Avengers, Nick Fury, Maria Hill, and a few others. The three stood up and Hel turned around to face them. "Good afternoon, Hel." Fury said.

"Good afternoon, Eye Patch." She said smiling. "Nice place."

"Yes it is. I thought of the design." Iron Man spoke up as he went through the crowd and approached Hel. "Mister Stark. You must be Loki's child. Your uncle has given us a background about you. Is it true that you are decaying?" Tony looked at Hel's face. "It is true! Half of her face is dead."

Hel nodded, trying not to punch him in the face. "Yes. It's absolutely true. I've heard a lot about the Avengers. Mister Stark, is it true that you almost died due to lack of oxygen in space as you destroyed the base of the Chitauri?" She asked. Stark pursed his lips. _Trauma. Interesting. _Hel thought. Hel clasped her hands together, causing Stark to regain his senses. "So, hi." She smiled.

"I see that we need not to introduce ourselves." Fury said.

Hel nodded. "I've heard many stories about you. We people at Asgard are quite updated about the happenings in the different realms." Thor shifted uncomfortably. He looked at her in confusion. "Heimdall." She explained. Thor then was calmed. "You are to interrogate me, right?" Fury nodded.

"It will not be today, though." Maria Hill said. "It will possibly be in two days after all business with the officials of New York are settled. For today, we just want you to settle down and know the rules. So rules first."

"Stay inside." Hel cut her off. Hill nodded.

"Yes. Don't disturb us when we are working. Use your common sense. And don't do anything bad or destructive. Clear?" Thor said.

"Yes, Uncle." Hel replied. "Where will I be staying?"

Romanoff crossed her arms. "Just two floors down. Hill, Pepper, and I will take you there." The agent of SHIELD faced Fury. "Shall we bring her there?" Fury nodded. Romanoff smiled. "C'mon, Hel. We'll bring you to your room."

Hel took her bags and followed the two SHIELD agents and the CEO of Stark Industries to the elevator. The three stepped inside. When the doors closed, Tony Stark sighed in relief. "Loki's daughter is very irritating. She knows how to break people's souls. Just like her father. I like it."

They nodded in agreement. "Cut her off some slack. Her father's dead. She has nobody else to hang on to." Banner said. "Loki may be a murderer but to the kid's eyes, he's her father."

* * *

Hel watched the numbers change as the elevator descended. She looked at the three people next to her. Agent Romanoff too was looking at the numbers. Her arms were crossed as she stood up straight. Agent Hill was reading something off of her pad. And Pepper Potts was talking to somebody on her phone. "So, you're Loki's daughter?" Agent Hill said skeptically.

Hel nodded. "I am. I don't look like him at all. Blonde hair, grey eyes, and a decaying face. Well, now he's decaying in Hel, land of the dead." She frowned.

"We're sorry about his death, by the way. He sacrificed himself to stop the invasion. Do you know what he did?"

Hel nodded. "He stabbed himself. The Chitauri suddenly stopped moving and they died. Iron Man went to space and bombed the Chitauri base. That's all I heard."

Pepper lowered her phone. "What's Loki like? I've heard things about him. But what is he in your eyes?"

"Are you interrogating me?" Hel asked. "I don't want too many questions. I'm still too amazed by Midgard's inventions. We don't have things like these at Asgard." Hel and the three arrived at the floor. They brought Hel to her room. "I can handle myself. Don't worry. I'm used to being alone." When the doors closed, Hel sighed in relief. Finally, she was alone. Yet there were eyes watching her.

* * *

Loki lied by his wife, Sigyn. Lying in his arms, she was fast asleep. Staring at the ceiling, he shook his leg in worry. He fumbled his fingers and pursed his lips. Needing a way to sleep, he got up, trying not to disturb his wife. He entered the bathroom and washed his face. He looked at his reflection. _I need to sleep. _He thought. He looked like he aged quickly.

Stepping outside of the bathroom, he took his robe and went to the balcony. Laying his hands on the marble railings, he looked at Asgard. It was silent. It was peaceful. There was a faint sound of music and laughter. _People must be drinking at the bars._ He guessed. Streets were lit by candles. Loki smiled. He finally got what he wanted: the throne. Yet something troubled him. He felt that he was being watched. Not only by Heimdall. But by somebody else's eyes.

Loki sighed in desperation. "Oh somebody help me."


	2. Chapter 2

**Watching Eyes by Sailing South**

**Author's note: I haven't been that active here these days. So sorry. Just an announcement: I have an account in Archive of Our Own. The name is Optional_Orders. Search me up. Go ahead. **

**I own nothing. Comments are highly accepted. Enjoy. -South**

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**2.**

"Do you think Hel would be fine in Midgard, Sigyn?" Loki asked as he ate some salad. The sun has just risen and breakfast was being served. Loki liked getting up early. While the whole Asgard slept in peace, he, his wife, and some servants were up. Sigyn looked fresh and bright. Her golden hair was flowing gracefully down her shoulders. She was clad in a light pink dress covered by a cream colored shawl. Loki, on the other hand, was trying not to sleep in the middle of his breakfast.

He raised his head and lowered his fork. Sigyn nodded as she sliced a piece of ham on her plate. "You think she'll be fine? She's young. She rarely goes outside. I don't even think she knows how to cross the street. But I told her to stay inside. Do you think SHIELD would be frightened of her? Her face and the decaying? Do you think that she would remember the spells I taught her? In case she goes outside and she wants to hide her true form? Do you think Hel will be fine?"

"Yes, Loki. Hel can handle herself. She's well brought and independent. I'm sure she could adapt quickly to Midgardian culture. SHIELD would gladly accept her. They have strange people there like green monsters and men of iron. They wouldn't fear her. And she brought her spell book. So if she forgets, she has her book for information." His wife said. "Those were a lot of questions answered." She told herself.

"I fear that she won't survive that easily." Loki said. "Heimdall's keeping a good eye on her. And probably some others too. I don't think it's enough."

"You shouldn't worry too much. What I think you should worry about is your lack of sleep." Sigyn held out her hand and stroked Loki's hand. "You need rest. You haven't been sleeping, right?" Loki nodded. "Well, I want you to rest. Hel can handle herself. She's a thousand of years old. I'm sure she'll be fine. Now, my turn to ask you questions." Sigyn straightened her back. "What is happening to your mind? Is it because of the throne?"

Loki shook his head. He clasped his hands together and rested on his knuckles. "Remember the invasion?" Sigyn nodded. "It still haunts me. I still remember the scepter and the dangers I've gone through after I fell. It never left. Nothing left. I try to forget. I can't. There's this mark etched in my soul. I can't forget it. I try." Loki pursed his lips and sighed. "He's still there. The monster in me is still there. So fragile. So powerful."

* * *

Hel placed her luggage by the closet of her bed. She had no plans to remove her items out of the bag. Hel was sure that the interrogation would be quick. Somehow, she wanted to spend more time in Midgard. She wanted to see the sights. Yet she was excited to go home. She wanted to spend one whole day with her father.

Hel's room was fit for a queen. There was a cabinet for coats, and shoes once you enter. After the small corridor, there was a mini-bar that came along with a coffee maker, packs of coffee and tea, a stove, a small fridge filled with chilled drinks, and a pantry containing food. Adjacent to the bar was a bathroom. After the mini-bar and stretching to the end was the bedroom. The bedroom had a queen-sized bed, three large cabinets, a chandelier, a flat screen TV, a leather couch, an air-conditioning unit, and a mahogany desk. Hel liked the room she was to stay at. The only problem was that she had no clue on how most items worked.

She walked around the room, observing what was in it. "What are these?" She wondered as she touched a black screen. With one touch the screen activated, revealing moving images. Hel gasped. She touched the screen once more and the images faded into black. "Midgardians are a strange group of people." She said as she lied on her bed. Suddenly, she felt uncomfortable. Her heart felt heavy. Something was watching her. Hel sat up and looked around her room. "Eyes." She muttered. "Eyes everywhere." She jumped on her bed and laid her hands on the wall. She pressed her ear against it. Then she noticed something on the corner of the room. She heard about those things. Suddenly, Hel was furious.

Hel calmed herself down. She walked towards the mini-bar and drank a bottle of water. As the day went dark, she lied on her bed. She tossed the now empty bottle into the air and caught it as it fell. Hel groaned. "I'm so bored. 'Stay inside' they say. Can I at least go out for a while?" She asked nothing. The young girl smirked and thought of an idea. Hel sat up and walked to the window. She looked for a lock. Hel found it and muttered a spell. The lock broke. Hel opened the window and looked down. A large drop. Hel sat on the edge of the window and looked around. Her feet hung in the air. The wind blew on her face, making her hair in disarray. Hel laughed and shouted in joy. The sun shone on her face. Even though she was in her room, she took a small bite of freedom. And laughter filled the room.

The doors of her room swung open. Thor entered the room, still clutching onto the doorknob. Surprised, Hel scrambled back into her room and leaned on the wall like nothing happened at all. "Hello, Uncle Thor." She smiled.

Thor crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing out there? Are you trying to cause harm to yourself."

"No I'm not doing that, Thor." Hel smiled. "I just wanted to see the view. I wanted to see the world."

Thor walked towards the window and closed it shut. "Don't you ever do that again." He said as he pointed to the daughter of Loki. Stop risking your life."

Hel rolled her eyes and shrugged. "I just sat on the window, uncle. What's wrong with that? Everybody who cares about me keeps limiting my freedom. 'Never do this. Never do that. Stay inside.' It's tiring."

"We are doing this because we care. You might have fallen. And I told you to stay inside. People might have seen you." Thor explained.

Hel groaned. "Stop worrying about me. And the fact that you said that people might have possibly seen me is clearly an impossibility. It's a large drop down below. I'm probably at the hundredth floor. How could somebody possibly see me? And why is it so important that I must not be seen?" Hel asked as she stepped forward, her eyes glaring at him in such curiosity. "Is it because of my face?" She spat. "Is it? Is it?"

Thor swallowed his saliva. He remembered his brother. "You remind me of him." He muttered. Hel wasn't able to hear it. "Hel, Midgard isn't that safe. The people here have great difficulty in accepting people who are different. The world is dangerous." Thor patted her shoulders. "The sun has set. We, the Avengers and I are planning to have dinner outside. Care to come with?"

"You told me to stay inside." Hel said as she wrinkled her nose.

"Well, I am granting you something. Odin has told me that you need sunlight and to go out for awhile." Hel's eyes widened when she heard Thor say 'Odin'. Odin vanished. And he still doesn't know. "Are you going to come with us?" Thor smiled.

Hel thought about it. To hide in fear or to explore and taste freedom? "I'll just prepare."

"I'll meet you in the lobby. The place is not that fancy so no need to look like a queen." Thor left the room and Hel ran to fix herself up. She wore a grey sweater on top of a red long sleeved shirt, a pair of brown pants and blue sneakers. Hel looked at her face in the mirror.

"What was that spell again?" She asked herself and closed her eyes. Snapping her fingers, she recalled the night she learned the spell.

It was a week after the decaying began. It was rapidly growing and it started to cover a quarter of her face and three of her fingers. Afraid, she casted herself into her room and never left. She never left. Hel feared everything. Yet she wanted to taste sunlight. She was standing before a mirror, staring at her reflection.

"Hel," her father knocked on the door. "Hel, get out of the room. You haven't been eating. You need to get out of the room. You're killing yourself, darling."

"I'm practically dead, father." She spat furiously. "Why does this have to happen to me?"

"Hel, please calm down. It will end." Loki said. "Can you at least let me in?" Silence fell. Hel sighed and slowly walked towards the door. She held the doorknob and looked at her hands. She tried to turn the knob. "So fragile." She muttered. She held out her other hand and twisted the knob. The door swung open. She stared at her father, who was wearing a green robe over his sleepwear. He smiled at her. Hel showed a half smile. Suddenly, she hugged him. Loki, shocked, patted her shoulders and wrapped his arms around her. "It's okay. It's okay."

Hel started to cry. "Dad, can you stop it?" She choked as she stared at her father's green eyes.

Loki frowned and wiped Hel's tears away. "I don't know. I've never seen anything like it." He smiled. "But I know a spell that can conceal it."

The two entered the room. Loki stood before his daughter. He furrowed his eyebrows and pursed his lips. "Okay, Hel, I have taught you basic spells. But the one I am to teach you is quite complex. Do you think you can learn it in just one night?"

Hel nodded. "I am your daughter."

"Yes you are. Now listen." Loki taught Hel the spell for the entire night. The girl had great difficulty at the start. Loki was getting tired as the time flew by. Yet the two never stopped. Once the sun rose, after many failed attempts, the child finally perfected it. The two started to laugh. With dark circles on their eyes, they hugged each other as they watched the sun shine on the glorious city. "It won't stay like that forever. You need to undo the spell afterwards." Hel frowned and looked at her feet. Loki noticed. He knelt before her and held her hands. "Hey, hey, don't be upset. Look at you. You're beautiful no matter what shape you take, Hel. Don't let others and that burden put you to the bottom of the world."

Hel smiled and started to cry. She wiped her tears away and straightened her back. She remembered and muttered an incantation. Then when she opened her eyes, she looked normal. The dead part of her face and her hands were gone. Hel smiled. She hasn't looked like this for a long time. "Thanks, father." She muttered.

Hel brought a bag with the things she needed for the night: toiletries and a book if she ever gets bored. Hel stepped out of her room and headed to the lobby. Bruce Banner came at the same time as she did. She found the Avengers waiting outside. Tony Stark looked at her and smirked. "You look, umm, alive." He said as she stood beside him and waited.

Hel nodded. "Thanks." She said. She looked at him. "You look alive as well. Did you sleep?" Tony nodded. "What woke you up? The shout of the Hulk?" She said. Tony scowled and faced away from her. A van came to a halt. The group entered and headed to the restaurant.

The two never spoke again.

The group arrived at the restaurant. "Table for seven." Steve said. Hel looked around the place as they headed to their table. It was quite dark and gloomy. Grey tables and brown chairs. The walls were made of red bricks and it was lit by lamps. Soft acoustic music played. The people eating there were quite young as they wore scarves, sweaters, and boots. Some were families. Others were on dates.

"Are you trying to feel young?" She whispered. Banner laughed and shook his head. Hel sat on the end of one side of the table. She was right next to Clint Barton. "So what will you be having for dinner, Hel?" He asked.

Hel looked at the menu and tapped her fingers on the thick piece of paper. She didn't know most of the food the restaurant served. "Maybe just a seafood salad." She said.

"Drink besides water and tea?" Barton asked.

"I have no idea." Hel said. "I have no idea on what are these things."

Barton smirked. "Well, why not soda?" Hel nodded.

"Is it good?"

"Wait and you'll see."

"Then soda it is." Hel said as she leaned on the backrest of her chair.

Once the orders were finally taken, the whole group faced Hel. They waved at her. Hel nervously waved back. Hel shifted uncomfortably. "She has Loki's face shape." Romanoff said. They all nodded in agreement. Hel raised an eyebrow. "Oh, they also have the same hands and ears." Hel quickly hid her hands under the table. "Probably the same mind and personality as well."

Hel smiled in doubt. "What do you mean by 'mind and personality'?"

"Oh you know," Tony said as he placed his elbow on the table and leaned on his hand. "Genius, magician, trickster, mischievous, silent, sassy, and murderous. Oh and dead."

Hel pursed her lips and tapped her foot on the ground nervously. _Remember, Hel. In Midgard, father is dead. _"Tony, look what you did to her." Barton said. "She's probably still affected by it." Barton faced Hel. "You alright?"

Hel nodded. "Thirsty."

"Well, drinks are coming." The drinks came after a few minutes. Hel opened the can of soda and took a sip. "What do you think?"

Hel licked her lips. "This is quite delicious." Hel took another gulp. "Why don't we have this in Asgard?"

As the time flew by, the food finally came. Hel took her fork and ate some salad. Tony stared at her as she ate. The group didn't notice. They were all talking and laughing. Annoyed, she gently laid her fork on the table and crossed her arms. "You've been staring at me, Stark. Why?"

"You don't look like your father at all." Tony said after he took a sip of champagne. "Are you adopted?"

Hel glared at him. Thor groaned. "You two should stop."

"Well he started it!" Hel spat in frustration. "He started with the dead jokes. Then he made fun of my father by calling him a murderer and all."

"Your father is a murderer!" Stark shouted. The restaurant went silent. "He killed thousands of lives. He almost killed me. You say he is no murderer. What's wrong with you?"

"He also killed himself." Hel said blankly. She swallowed her saliva and tapped on the table using her fingers. "Do you know why you still live, Stark? Do you know why the world isn't kneeling before somebody? My father killed himself just to stop this madness. Just to stop that burden in his mind. You're lucky you still have people to lean on to. You have friends, family, and strangers who adore you. I don't have that. I'm pretty sure people despise me in Asgard. People even think that I'm their enemy. And the one person who cared for me, liked my face, and was brave enough to say it is dead! So why don't you have a little respect for other people's feelings." Hel wiped her mouth with a white cloth. She grabbed her bag and stood up.

"Hel, sit down." The Captain said.

"You don't own me." She spat. "Thank you for the dinner." Hel walked towards the door. Right before she left, she took something out of her bag. She turned around and looked at the Avengers. "One more thing you want to know about me: I don't like being watched." She threw an object to the table and food flew everywhere. The seven heroes stared at a camera. And Hel was gone.

Hel ran and took the nearest turn. "Midgardians are so stupid. I can't believe they fell for it." She laughed. She stopped and hailed a taxi. A taxi stopped before her and she entered. Closing the door, she told the driver her destination. "Stark Tower, please. Make it quick." So the driver pressed on the gas and they left. Hel looked back at the restaurant. Somehow, she could see Thor looking for her.

She looked at the front. Her jaw suddenly dropped. "How is this moving?" She was alone in the taxi. And it was moving by itself.

* * *

Loki rode his horse towards the Bifrost. As he passed through the streets, he was greeted by people. Loki smiled and nodded in return. _They like me? _He thought. _Odd. _He reached the Bifrost and got off the horse. He stood behind a man. Crossing his arms, he raised his head. "Heimdall." He said firmly.

"My king. What is it that you want now?" Heimdall asked.

Loki walked towards him and stood by his side. He watched the blue sky and the clouds. "What is happening to my daughter, Hel? Is she doing fine in Midgard?"

Heimdall nodded. "She's adapting to the environment. Apparently, she has no liking for Mister Tony Stark." Loki smiled. "Right now, she's having dinner with them."

"Outside?"

Heimdall nodded. "Do not worry, my lord. She's concealed it. Used that technique you taught her. No one notices it at all." Loki sighed in relief. "She is a brilliant girl, sir. She's outstanding. Somehow, she managed to show them that she was deeply affected by your presumed death." Loki smirked. "She's good in manipulating them."

"How is her dinner?"

"Not going that well. She rarely speaks to the Avengers. Even to her uncle. Occasionally, she engages in a conversation with Clint Barton, the man who became your servant for a while. And she is quite defensive of you. Yet she's still afraid."

"She always was afraid of the world."

"It is good that she gets to be exposed to the world. Hel finally sees what happens around her. She'll need exposures, sir. She'll be ruling Asgard someday. The community should know who will be their new ruler."

"What if she doesn't become queen?" Loki muttered.

"What are you saying, sir?"

"Nothing. Tell me if something bad happens to her."

"You worry too much, sir. Go rest for once." Heimdall said as Loki mounted on the back of his horse and sped off back to the palace. Heimdall watched the world. He looked at Hel's life and watched what happened. Quickly, he turned around and ran towards the palace. Entering the empty halls, he knelt before the throne. "Loki, something has happened to Hel. Something bad." Heimdall raised his head and faced the throne. There Loki lied on the feet of the throne. Heimdall went to his side and looked for a pulse. There was none.


End file.
